


Pokemon Dew

by PTAlex



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, depends where i want to take this, dustin eats glass, there could be some dark stuff, violence is a maybe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2019-08-02 22:20:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16313729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PTAlex/pseuds/PTAlex
Summary: A new journey begins...





	1. A New Journey (Prologue)

**Author's Note:**

> and here's the be more chill pokemon crossover! i've been planning this for a while, so it feels great to finally start publishing!

The weather was harsh, a little too cold to sustain life, but Enigma didn't care. He couldn't afford any better than a cabin in the mountains. He had to raise his child here. First, he had to deal with his hot-blooded surrogate.

Sur "There. I birthed your child. Now where's my money?"

Kr "I can assure that you will receive your payment-"

Sur "When? When, Enigma?"

Kr "By... his... thirteenth birthday."

Sur "THIRTEEN YEARS?! HELL NO!!! I WANT MY PAYMENT BY THE END OF THE MONTH OR THE BOY COMES WITH ME!!! YOU HEAR THAT, YOU WEASEL?! I CARRIED A CHILD FOR YOU!!!"

Kr "But-"

Sur "NO BUTS!!! SELL YOUR KIDNEYS, YOUR EYES, YOUR POKEMON, I DON'T CARE!!! JUST GET ME THAT CASH!!!"

Kr "Try to look at things from my perspect-"

Sur "YOUR perspective? All I see in you is a manipulative scumbag USING ME FOR MY BODY!!!"

Kr "Look, just... give me time, and I'll pay you..."

Sur "I will NOT give you more time! I refuse to argue with you any longer, just... figure it out."

With that, she was gone.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Enigma was desperate. He needed the money by tomorrow. Was this it? Was he going to lose Dustin?

??? "My Malamar told me you were stressed..."

Enigma jumped at the sudden voice, which seemed to upset the baby with him.

Kr "It's okay Dustin... calm down..."

Enigma turned to face the man who had called to him.

Kr "Who... are you?"

Ko "My name is Koya, and you seem to be in need of my financial aid."

Kr "You... would help me?"

Ko "Of course! But I do require something in return..."

Kr "Will I have the money by tomorrow?"

Ko "That depends on how quickly you make up your mind..."

Kr "I'm with you one-hundred percent on whatever you need... just... leave my son out of this."

Ko "I don't see any issue with that..."

Koya extended his hand, prompting Enigma to do the same.

Ko "Here's to a long and prosperous partnership."

Kr "Right behind you!"

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dustin was awoken from his slumber by the paws of an Eevee on his face, as usual. But which one? He opened his eyes to see...

D "G'morning Giddy... You ready for adventure?"

Dustin's three legged Eevee, Gideon, had decided to wake him up this morning. It was a very important morning for Dustin, as it was finally his sixteenth birthday! His dad would finally let him leave town!

g *excited yipping*

D "I'll take that as a yes!"

Dustin got out of bed, and rushed through his morning rituals. He ran downstairs as fast as he could.

D "HEY DAD!!! I'M SIXTEEN!!!"

Enigma turned to face him.

Kr "Good for you. Pack your stuff."

D "Got it!"

For as long as Dustin could remember, something seemed off about his dad. Was it his behavior? His sideburns? Yeah. It was probably the sideburns. Disregarding that, Dustin rounded up his Eevees. Whip, who was snow white, Cyclops, who was pitch black and missing an eye, Captain, the runt, who was bandaged from an encounter with a savage Beartic, and Cherry, who was was deaf. Gideon had been following him around to begin with.

D "That's everyone and everything!"

Dustin opened the door, but was stopped by his dad.

Kr "If you see any people with visors and colorful bodysuits, turn the other way immediately."

Silence.

Kr "They're probably drunk."

D "Okay!"

Dustin dashed out the door, eager to leave Evergreen Town for the first time! This was going to be great!

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

??? 1 *sigh* "Is he still running? I thought Live-Wire caught him this morning!?"

??? 2 "Well it turns out he failed to keep him caught. Should've sent Pitch Black."

??? 1 "CAN IT SANGARITA BLAST!!! I'M THE BOSS AROUND HERE!!!"

Sangarita rolled her eyes.

SB "Alright... maybe just... try and send someone more serious next time?"

??? "Noted..." 'This "Red" guy is going to be an issue...'


	2. Setting Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dustin learns the basics of Pokemon battling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally!!! this took WAY longer to make than i anticipated! i started writing shortly after the prologue was released, but i put it on hold as soon as the first battle started. i had no idea how to handle battles, and i still don't! i hope i can learn through this fanfic~

[Route 1 - Frosty Way]

Dustin inhaled the cool air outside. His nose suddenly stung.

D "Yep! Nothing like fresh-" *kitten sneeze* "air!"

Whip was rolling around in the snow.

D "Awwwww~"

Pause.

D "We should keep going."

Dustin beckoned Whip to join him and the others, which she did. Dustin turned his attention to an irritated woman ranting a few meters away.

??? "Who the hell changed the sign in Winterr Town?! I should be in Frozia, not... wherever this is!!!"

D "ARE YOU LOOOOOOOOOST?!?!?!"

The woman stared in Dustin's direction and prepared to toss a small yellow Pokemon. She took a closer look, before putting the Pokemon back on her forehead.

??? "I- I ALMOST THREW A PICHU AT YOU!!! WHY ARE YOU STANDING IN THE COLD AND YELLING AT PEOPLE!?!?!?"

D "BECAUSE I WANT TO HELP YOU!!!"

??? "I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP!!! THIS JOURNEY IS FOR MY POKEMON AND I!!!"

D "BUT THEN YOU'RE NOT ALONE!!!"

??? "GET OVER HERE SO I DON'T HAVE TO YELL!!!"

D "OKAY!!!"

Dustin approached the angry woman.

D "Hi!"

??? "Who the hell are you and why are you here?"

D "I'm Dustin! I just left home to go on a journey with my Eevees!"

Mad "Name's Madeline. I'm on my way to my first gym, so you should probably leave me alone."

D "What's a gym?"

Silence.

Mad "Oh. My. God. SERIOUSLY?!"

D "Is it important?"

Mad "YES!!! YOU NEED TO BEAT ALL EIGHT TO CHALLENGE THE POKEMON LEAGUE AND POTENTIALLY BECOME THE CHAMPION!!! HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK?!?!?!"

D "I think a mountain is a giant rock? So... I've been living on one!"

Mad "Well I've been living at the base of the same giant rock. Consider us friends."

D "Really?"

Mad "Hell no!"

D "But... wait... if I beat you in a battle, can we be friends?"

Mad "Do you even know what a battle is?"

D "Yep! I'm also good at them!"

Pause.

D "Probably."

Mad "Probably? You've never had a battle? In that case, prepare for a rude awakening, you battle virgin!"

D "That's probably good!"

{Pokemon Trainer Madeline would like to battle!}

Pokemon Trainer Madeline sent out Ember (Litwick)!

Go, Captain!

D "Captain, use Growl!"

Liwick's attack fell.

Mad "...Really? Ember, Ember!"

D "Growl!"

Litwick's attack fell.

Mad "Ember, roast that idiot!"

Captain fainted!

D "What?"

Mad *sigh* "Growl won't get you anywhere..."

D "Hmm... Alright then! Cyclops! Covet!"

It doesn't affect Litwick...

D "Wh-what?"

Mad "Covet is a normal type move. Litwick is a ghost type. If you plan on damaging Ember, you need to use other types of moves..."

D "How do I learn Ember?"

Mad "I'm pretty damn sure Eevee can't learn Ember..."

D "Why not?"

Mad "...Seriously? Are you that dumb?"

D "Uh... No?"

Madeline rolled her eyes and sighed.

Mad "Do your Eevees only know normal type moves?"

D "Yes?"

Mad "Then I win."

D "W-wait! I can still-"

Mad "You can't damage Ember, so you can't win. It's as simple as that."

D "I... oh..."

Madeline used logic! It's super effective! A critical hit! 

{Dustin lost!}

D "I guess I have a lot to learn..."

Mad "That's... one way of putting it."

D "Then I'd better start learning!"

Mad "In that case, you should head south! Winterr town is at the end of this route!"

D "Uh... what does south mean?"

Mad "I... don't know what to say, honestly. Just... follow the path until you reach a town. This route is fairly small anyways."

Pause.

Mad "Seeya."

With that, Madeline left. Presumably south. Dustin followed, and defeated some wild Vanillites, Pidoves, and Vulpixes. Vulpi? Vulpedes? The plural of Vulpix. At least they weren't ghost types. Eventually, Dustin arrived in Winterr Town.

[Winterr Town]

D "Hello, Winterr!"

NPC "Hello, child! Welcome to Winterr Town, the cold town with a warm heart! You should try our cafe!"

D "Why OF COURSE I will!"

Dustin made his way to the cafe. It was rather easy to find, as it had a massive neon sign labeled "CAFE" above it's roof. Dustin entered the door, causing a woman who was eating frozen yogurt to turn her head.

D "Uh... hi?"

??? "Hello! You're new around here!"

D "I am! I've never left Evergreen Town!"

??? "Really? I've never been there! The farthest I go from my home town is Multiathelor City! Speaking of Multiathelor City, you should meet their gym leader! He's a good dude! Speaking of Gym Leaders..."

She stands up, flips her hair, and strikes a pose.

B "I'm Brooke! Gym Leader of Frozia City! I specialize in ice type Pokemon!"

D "Frozia City? That's where Madeline is headed! How do I get there?"

B "I'll show you! Come on!"

Brooke grabbed her yogurt and dashed out the door, dragging Dustin along. The pair stopped at the intersection on the northern side of the town.

B "To the northwest- wait... that's not right!"

Brooke fixed the sign.

B "There! To the northEAST is Frozia city! You have to go through Winterr Trail first, but I'm confident you can handle it! Speaking of Frozia City... I need to head back! My people might need me!"

Brooke booked it through the snow, and vanished from sight before long.

[Route 2 - Winterr Trail]

...was rather uneventful at first, Dustin DID successfully beat a youngster and his Pidove though! At the intersection that branches off to either Frozia Caverns or Frozia City, Dustin spotted a man. He was notably shorter than him, and he was wearing some kind of futuristic orange suit...

??? "Target cavern located ahead. I will be there- in a little bit. Launch the crew. Y- NO! NO CANNON! ON FOOT! Yeah, I know it might be weird, but YOU know how I am about THAT letter... Ye- Affirmative, leader."

The man walked towards Frozia Caverns. That was weird. The rest of the route was nothing special though.

[Frozia City]

D "Alright! I'm here!"

B "And I don't need to wait anymore! Hello... what's your name?"

D "Dustin Enigma Kropp, but you can just call me Dustin!"

B "Welcome to Frozia City, Dustin! Are you ready to battle?"

D "Yep!"

B "Then come into the gym! Be sure to visit the Pokemon Center first though! Your Pokemon are probably pretty beat up!"

D "Yeah, they kind of are... I'll go there now!"

Dustin went inside the Pokemon Center. While he waited for the nurse to heal his Pokemon, he pondered what a gym battle might be like...


	3. A New Type of Challenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dustin challenges his first gym leader!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a long chapter again! get used to those, since battles will be commonplace!

Dustin and his team left the Pokemon Center, making their way towards the gym. Upon stepping inside, he was greeted by an enthusiastic man.

NPC "HEY CHAMP IN THE MAKING!!!"

D "HEY GYM GUY!!!"

NPC "DO YOU WANT TO HEAR WHAT TYPES ARE GOOD AGAINST ICE POKEMON?!?!?!"

D "IS NORMAL ONE OF THEM?!?!?!"

NPC "NOOOOOOOOO!!!"

D "THEN IT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!"

NPC "TAKE THIS WATER!!!"

{Dustin received a Fresh Water!}

D "THANK YOU!!!"

NPC "YOU'RE WELCOME!!!"

Dustin walked down the straight path ahead of him, battling the trainers along it. After beating them, Dustin was ready to challenge the gym leader! Captain had already fainted, but Dustin didn't know that he could leave to visit the Pokemon Center.

D "Hey Brooke!"

B "Hey Dustin!"

Pause.

B "Can we pretend this is our first time meeting? I wanna show you my introduction! Chrissy has been helping me practice!"

D "Who's Chrissy?"

B "You'll meet her soon enough! She's the gym leader of Rimprose City! I used to go there regularly before things started becoming... weird."

D "Weird?"

B "I... don't want to talk about that right now..."

Brooke looked uncomfortable, but quickly shifted her expression to a more cheerful one, striking a pose like she did in Winterr Town.

B "The name's Brooke, and I'm in charge around here! I serve as the gym leader AND town leader of Frozia City! If you mess with me, I'll leaving you shaking! Physically AND emotionally!"

Brooke returned to her usual posture.

B "How was that?"

D "Great! It really paints you as a reliable leader!"

Brooke blushed.

B "W-wow! You're so nice!"

D "You're welcome! I try!"

B *giggle* "Well it works!"

Pause.

B "So... Let's get this battle started!"

D "Alright!"

{Gym Leader Brooke would like to battle!}

Gym Leader Brooke sent out Frosty (Snover)!

[Frosty's Snow Warning]

Hail started to fall!

D "Go! Cyclops! Use Tail Whip!"

Frosty's defense fell!

B "Razor Leaf!"

Cyclops was almost defeated, having taken damage in an earlier battle.

D "Uh... Tail Whip again!"

Frosty's defense fell!

B "Razor Leaf!"

Cyclops fainted!

D "Okay... C'mon, Cherry! Baby-Doll Eyes!"

Frosty's attack fell!

B "Razor Leaf!"

It didn't do as much damage this time!

D "Tackle!"

Frosty almost goes down!

B "Powder Snow"

D "Tackle!"

Frosty Fainted!

D "YES!!!"

B "We're not done yet! Come on out, Strawberry!"

Gym Leader Brooke sent out Strawberry (Vanillite)!

D *gasp* "SHE SPARKLES!!! JUST LIKE WHIP!!!"

B "One of your Pokemon is shiny? Cool!"

D "Yep! She'll be coming out next!"

B "Really?"

D "Yep!"

Pause.

D "Cherry! Tackle!"

A critical hit!

D "Whoa! What was that?"

B "A critical hit! You must be lucky!"

Strawberry used Powder Snow! A critical hit! Cherry fainted!

D "I guess you're lucky too..."

Pause.

D "OH!!! WHIP!!! COME ON OUT!!! USE TACKLE!!!"

B "POWDER SNOW!!!"

Strawberry fainted!

B "Alright... LEMONADE! LET'S GO!!!"

Gym Leader Brooke sent out Lemonade (Bergmite)!

D "Another shiny?

B "Yup! I hunt shinies as a pass-time! Chloe and I used to-"

The hail stopped!

D "Chloe?"

B *nervous laughing* "Alright, get that hail back up!"

Lemonade used Hail!

D "Tackle!"

B "Icy Wind!"

Whip's speed fell!

B "Icy Wind!"

Whip's speed fell!

D "Tackle!"

B "Icy Wind!"

Whip fainted!

D "You can do it, Gideon! Tackle!"

B "Icy Wind!"

Gideon's Speed fell!

D "Tackle!"

A critical hit! Lemonade fainted!

D "I- I DID IT!!! I WON MY FIRST GYM BATTLE!!! YYYYYESSSSSS!!!"

B "Congratulations buddy! You thawed my team out fair and square!"

{Dustin wins!}

B "Here's the Frozen Badge!"

Dustin obtained the Frozen Badge!

B "And here's the TM for Hail!"

Dustin received the TM for Hail!

B "This move summons a hail storm! Pokemon that aren't ice type take damage in hail, and ice type moves are powered up!"

D "Uh... cool?"

B "It IS an ice type move!"

D "Wh- OH! HA!"

Dustin and Brooke walked out of the gym, and Brooke spotted something...

B "Hey... WHO ARE YOU?! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!"

The man dashed off as fast as possible.

B "We need to go to Frozia Caverns! Come on!"

D "But... what about my Pokemon?"

Brooke healed your Pokemon.

B "There! Let's go!"

Brooke, once again, dragged Dustin with her.


	4. Chilly Reception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dustin faces a new threat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom! Double length chapter!

[Route 3 - Frozen Road]

Dustin really didn't have a choice in regards to his next location, as Brooke had already dragged him halfway down Frozen Road!

D "Uh... why is this so important?"

B "That guy must be with THEM!"

D "You're honestly raising more questions than answers, but okay..."

B "My point is, the Frozia Caverns supposedly hold a sacred artifact tied to the Legendary Pokemon of Melody... Mi- One of my friends discovered that THEY are after this artifact..."

D "WHY ARE YOU BEING SO CRYPTIC?!"

B "BECAUSE THIS IS SENSITIVE INFORMATION!!!"

??? "What is sensitive information? Where are you two heading?"

A guy in a neon blue futuristic outfit was standing in front of the pair.

B "We were discussing something private. That's none of your business."

??? "I'm afraid it COULD be in the interest of our leader. When the leader wants to know something, he gets to know it. Please tell us what you were-"

The man looked Dustin in the eyes and stopped talking.

??? "Wait a minute... Are you Dustin Kropp?"

D "Uh... yeah?"

??? "Then it appears there has been a misunderstanding. Please leave this immediate area- we were instructed to keep you as uninvolved with our work as possible."

D "What IS your work?"

QM *sigh* "I am a Quantum Member. Our corporation aims to improve people's lives and make the world a better place. We were also instructed to stay away from you. However, that rule shall be violated if you interfere with our work."

D " You already said that part about me... Also, why me?"

QM "That information is classified. Please leave."

D "But Brooke said that we have to follow that weird orange guy! He could be looking for this artifact thing!"

B "DUSTIN!!!"

QM "Is that so?"

The man held one hand out, as if he were attempting to grab something by the top.

QM "In that case, I'll have to break this rule. Prepare to be exterminated!"

{You are challenged by Quantum Member!}

Quantum Member sent out Porygon!

The battle was nothing too special, just Captain having (and winning) a tackle war with a Porygon.

{Dustin wins!}

QM "Blast! You exterminated my Porygon..."

The man ran off.

D "Glad that's over with..."

B "Are. You. SERIOUS?!?!?! YOU TOLD HIM THAT I WAS TRYING TO STOP HIM?!?!?!"

D ""THEY" means guys like him?"

B "UH, YEAH?!"

D "Um... sorry?"

B *sigh* "I'm sorry... I should've explained the situation better. But next time, don't go telling strangers secrets!"

D "I won't..."

B "Good. Now let's pick up the pace."

The two friends sped to the entrance of Frozia Caverns, and sped inside even faster.

[Frozia Caverns]

B "Gah! They're everywhere! Why do they need this many men?"

??? "Why? We knew that you might try to interfere with our goal!"

D "I remember you!"

??? "You... do?"

D "Yeah! I saw you on my way to Frozia City! You were calling reinforcements!"

??? "H-hey! Don't watch other people! That could be called "being creepy!""

B "Honestly that is pretty creepy."

D "You were kind of on my path? I'm sorry though..."

??? "And I don't care! I'm outta here!"

The man ran to the back of the cavern. Dustin and Brooke followed him, beating some other Quantum guys along the way.

B "Before we confront this lunatic..."

Brooke healed your Pokemon!

D "Thanks!

B "You're welcome!"

D "Hello!"

??? "GAH! HOW DID YOU GET HERE THAT QUICKLY?!"

D "Your friends aren't very strong. They're persistent though! That's a pretty good quality to have when you're on a team!"

??? "Quiet!"

The man put his hands on his hips and scowled menacingly (Well, as menacingly as someone at least a foot shorter than Dustin could. Dustin just found it cute.), before starting to speak.

LW "I am Live-Wire! The hotheaded bad boy of Quantum Inc.! The unfathomable power of my Pokemon will leave you quaking in horror! PREPARE TO BURN!!!"

{You are challenged by Quantum Head Live-Wire!)

LW "Come on out, Rock Water!"

Quantum Head Live-Wire sent out Roxy (Growlithe)!

D "...Rock Water?"

LW "Ugh... What do you call a large body of water?"

D "Uh... Lake... Ocean... Sea- ROXY!!!"

LW "Yeah."

D "Alright, come on out Captain!"

[Roxy's Intimidate]

Captain's attack fell!

LW "Bite!"

D "Tackle!"

LW "Bite!"

D "Tackle!"

LW "Bite!"

D "Tackle!"

Roxy fainted!

LW "DAMNIT!!! DARUMA DAHL!!! RUIN HIM!!!"

Quantum Head Live-Wire sent out Daruma Dahl (Darumaka)!

D "Tackle!"

LW "Rollout!"

Captain fainted!

D "Aw dang... Come on, Cyclops!"

B "Sand Attack him! Lower his accuracy!"

D "Uh... okay! Sand Attack!"

Daruma Dahl's accuracy fell!

LW "Rollout!"

D "Sand Attack!"

Daruma Dahl's accuracy fell!

LW "Rollout!"

Daruma Dahl's attack missed!

LW "UGH!!!"

D "Covet!"

LW "FIRE FANG!!!"

Cyclops fainted!

D "Cherry! Tackle!"

LW "Fire Fang!"

Daruma Dahl's attack missed!

LW "I FUCKING HATE YOU!!! I HATE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU, YOU... CHEATING DICK!!!"

D "I'm not cheating, I'm trying my best!"

Pause.

D "Tackle!"

Daruma Dahl Fainted

LW "DAMNIT!!! YOUR TURN, ROUND DEVIL DOG!!!"

Quantum Head Live-Wire sent out Cerberus (Houndour)!

D "What is with these weird names?"

LW "FUCK OFF!!! ROAR!!!"

[Cherry's Soundproof]

It doesn't affect Cherry!

Live-Wire was dumbfounded.

LW "But... BUT HOW?!?!?!"

D "She's deaf? I think? But she somehow understands me? It's like we have some sort of psychic link!"

LW "UGH, WHAT?! YOU'RE WEIRD!!!"

D "Uh... okay? Covet!"

LW "FLAMETHROWER!"

D "Covet!"

LW "FLAMETHROWER!!!"

Cherry fainted!

D "Aw dang! Gideon, let's go!"

LW "MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM!!! FLAMETHROWER!!!"

D "Tackle!"

Cerberus fainted!

LW "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!! YOU'RE REALLY GONNA GET IT NOW!!! PLURAL MCNUGGET!!!"

Quantum Head Live-Wire sent out McNuggets (Combusken)!

This time Dustin was the dumbfounded one. Brooke too.

B "What. The. Actual. Fuck."

LW "HEY!!! FUCK YOU!!!"

B "THAT'S SO DUMB!!! WHY?!?!?!"

LW "FUCK!!!" *clap* "YOU!!!" *clap*

D "Can we uh... battle?"

LW "FINE!!! DOUBLE KICK!!!"

It's super effective!

B "Tail Whip him!!!"

D "Tail Whip!"

McNuggets's Defense fell!

LW "DOUBLE KICK!!!"

It's super effective! Gideon fainted!

D "Ok! WHIP!!! LET'S DO THIS!!!"

LW "DOUBLE KICK!!!"

It's super effective!

D "TACKLE!!!"

LW "DOUBLE KICK!!!"

It's super effective!

D "TACKLE!!!"

A critical hit! McNuggets fainted!

{Quantum Head Live-Wire was defeated!}

LW "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! FUCK YOU!!! YOU'RE A PIETHE OF THYIT!!! FUCK OFF AND-"

D "Oh. My. Gosh. THAT IS SO CUTE!!!"

Live-Wire looked horrified.

LW "FORGET ABOUT THAT!!! YOU DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING!!! I FAILED!!!"

Without warning, the cavern began to shake...

B "What's going on?!"

QM "Live-Wire! We have secured the buried artifact, but the walls are crumbling! Let's go before the whole cave collapses!"

LW "GWAHAHA!!! LOOKTH LIKE I DIDN'T FAIL AFTER ALL!!! GOODBYE, CRAP CREW!!!"

On his way out, Live-Wire headbutted Dustin against the cavern wall.

D "ACK!!! MY LEG!!!"

B "Can you walk?"

Dustin tried to get up, but the pain was too much!

D "Ugh... No..."

B "Then I'll carry you!"

Brooke lifted Dustin over her shoulders, but he was heavier than she was used to carrying...

B "Oh my god..."

Brooke set Dustin down.

B "I'll... I'll think of some-"

D "Brooke, leave without me!"

B "What?! No way!!! I'm not leaving you to die!!!"

D "I don't care if I'm safe, just make sure nobody else is hurt! Take my Pokemon and go!"

B "Dustin..."

D "Brooke... Please... I'll weigh you down..."

Brooke steadied her breath.

B "O-okay..."

Dustin passed his Pokeballs over to Brooke, but Whip grabbed her own in her mouth.

B "Whip? What are you doing?"

Whip curled up next to Dustin, Pokeball in her mouth.

B "You... want to stay by his side..."

Brooke thought for a moment.

B "Alright. Keep him safe."

Brooke hesitated for a second, before making a mad dash out of the cavern.

D "Whip... why are you still... here?"

w *whimper*

The roof of the cave began to fall...

D "I love you too..."

The last thing Dustin saw was Whip glowing a more brilliant white than usual... was she... growing..?

*CRASH*

Dustin lost consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh... that was darker than i expected. whoops.


	5. Safe and Sound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dustin is rescued by a new ally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was too tired to finish this last night, but here it is!

??? "He should be somewhere around here..."

His Solosis beeped some kind of message to him.

??? "What is it, Claire? Over there? Nick Young! Remove those rocks as fast as possible! Wrexkavator! Spyro! Be ready to drill those rocks if they're too big for Nick!"

The Lickitung, Charmeleon, and Drilbur worked perfectly in sync to uncover the buried teen...

A Pokemon (a Glaceon, to be exact) was near the boy, guarding him fiercely.

??? "Damn... looks rough... Glaceon, please move...

Whip wouldn't budge.

??? "I promise we're here to help... I just need to be able to reach him...

Whip looked unsure, but the boy gave a sincere look, causing her to allow him access to her trainer.

??? "Thank you... Madonna! Tie yourself around the wounds!"

The Ekans immediately went to work as an organic salve.

??? "Almost done..."

The boy looked at his Frosty Ninetales.

??? "Siam! Carry those two to the nearest Pokemon Center! The boy needs treatment immediately!"

Siam nodded, dashing off with Dustin and Madonna.

??? "Glaceon, you may follow them. I hope your friend makes a full recovery."

Whip immediately began to follow Siam.

??? "I guess nobody else was hurt in the invasion..."

The boy looked skyward and crossed his hand over his heart.

Red "I, Red, vow to put a stop to these Quantum maniacs once and for all!"

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dustin woke to the sound of a melody.

D "Ugh... what... what is this place?"

Looking around, the landscape was covered in a pale multi-colored mist. The mist appeared to be have small white music notes floating inside of it.

D "What the heck..?"

??? "Child... Please..."

Upon hearing this ethereal voice, a terrifying thought entered Dustin's head.

D "Am... AM I DEAD?!?!?!"

??? "Help me..."

D 'I guess I'm a guardian angel now or something...' "I'm coming!!! Hang on!!!"

Dustin sprinted frantically towards the origin of the voice. As he approached, a figure began to come into view.

D "I... I think I see you!!! Hold on!!!"

As Dustin came closer, the figure became more clear... it was short, not even half a foot taller than an average newborn. It appeared to have no fingers or toes, with rounded hands and pointed feet. It also looked to have long hair, close to the size of it's entire body, and might've been wearing some kind of dress or robe? What ever it was, it certainly wasn't human.

D "What... are you?"

??? "That's not of much importance... I need you to stop him..."

D "Stop who?"

??? "Koya... he wants to use our power..."

D "There's... someone else with you? Who's Koya?"

??? "My sister... she's in trouble... I can't reach her... Stop Koya..."

D "But who's Koya?! Why won't you tell me?!"

??? "I don't have time... You're almost awake..."

D "I'm... alive?"

??? "Yes... Your friends are worried..."

D "Then... I guess I should be waking up..."

Pause.

D "Before I go... do you have... a name?"

??? "My name is M-"

Dustin was only able to get the first letter of the being's name before coming to... what was happening?

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dustin ACTUALLY woke to the feeling of cold paws on his face.

w *excited yipping*

D "What the..."

Dustin was momentarily confused, but then remembered what he had heard about Eevee's many evolutions. Coupled with the ever-present glimmer that engulfed the Pokemon, this knowledge brought a realization upon him.

D "Whip? You're-" *cough* "-okay!"

Whip nuzzled Dustin's cheek.

D "Thank goodness..."

Dustin looked around. He was in a hospital of some sort. A Pokemon Center?

D "I guess someone-" *cough* "-found me..."

Four other Eevees ran into the room, all yipping with joy. Even Cyclops was happy!

D "Guys! You're all-" *cough* "-safe!"

Joining the reunion, another familiar face entered the room.

B "Dustin! You're alive!"

D "Yeah! I-" *cough* "-am!"

B "You sound sick..."

D "I feel sick..."

The nurse entered the room.

NJ "Prolonged exposure to the cold has left you weak. You'll need to stay overnight."

D "I... guess I don't really have a choice."

NJ "You're right about that. You're not healthy enough to leave yet! The good news is that your condition isn't caused by bacteria, so you're allowed to have visitors!"

D "Uh... okay? Who's gonna visit me?"

NJ "Isn't Brooke a visitor?"

D "Oh! I guess she is!"

B "Well... not anymore! I gotta go! My people probably need me again! Bye Dustin!"

D "Bye Brooke! See you later!"

Brooke left the room.

NJ "And I have other patients to tend to! Farewell!"

Dustin was left alone with his team.

D "Well... it's just us now..."

Pause.

D "So... Whip... you evolved? Is that why you were glowing?"

Whip nodded.

D "Huh. I wonder what triggered it? Was it the cave?"

Whip didn't appear to know the answer to that question.

D "I guess we'll go with the cave theory then."

Dustin sat in silence with his Pokemon for the rest of the day. There wasn't much to say. Later that night, the door creaked open.

NJ "You have a visitor!"

Nurse Joy opened the door, allowing a boy to enter. He was dressed as... some kind of ninja? Except his costume was bright red? Whatever he was going for, he must've had his reasons.

D "Uh... hi? Who are you?"

Red "You can call me... Red. I found you under a bunch of rocks where a cave used to be. You were pretty hurt."

D "You... brought me here?"

Red "Siam brought you here."

Red's Ninetales stepped into the room.

D "Is that Siam?"

Red "Yup. He can carry way more than you would expect!"

D "I guess so... I'm heavier than I look..."

Red "It doesn't matter. You're safe now. Those Quantum assholes always go too far..."

D "That Live-Wire guy has a pretty bad temper..."

Red "He's also reckless. He had me caught once, but he lost his grip. He's a fool."

D "He IS kind of cute though..."

Red *chuckle* "Okay. That's also true. He's still a dick though."

D "He pushed me into the wall..."

Red "Dude... That sucks."

D "Yeah..."

Red "They've ruined everything! The government, the safety of this region, our- my home..."

D "Our?"

Red "Forget about that. It's not important."

D "First that creature, now you? Why is everything unimportant now?"

Red "Uh... What? Creature?"

D "That's not important!"

Dustin pouted.

Red "Don't do this to me. I'll tell you later."

D "Then I'll tell YOU later."

Red "Ugh... alright then..."

Red looked at Dustin.

Red "I'm gonna go now. I don't want to stay in one place for too long. Bye."

D "Bye-"

Red had already left.

D "Oh..."

Dustin decided to think about this as he slept.


	6. A Trial to Be Reckoned With

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dustin meets Jake, the gym leader of Multiathelor City!

After resting for the night, Dustin felt much better! He felt like he could move mountains! He felt like he could break rocks! In fact, he wanted to try that!

D "Let's go everybody!"

On his way out, he was stopped by Brooke.

B "Hey Dustin! Are you feeling better this morning?"

D "If I didn't feel better, I would still be in bed!"

Pause.

D "So yeah! I feel great!"

B "Combining Heal Pulse, Softboiled, and Triage worked perfectly then!"

D "Uh... really?"

B "Yep!"

D "That's... nice?"

B "It is!"

Silence.

D "How do I get to my next gym?"

B "The next gym is in Multiathelor City! You just have to keep going straight, and eventually you'll reach the Trial of Force!"

D "Trial of Force?"

B "Yep! I'll tell Jake you're on your way! You might have to wait for him once you reach the cracked rocks, but please be patient with him. He gets sidetracked sometimes..."

D "Don't worry! I can wait!"

B "That's good!"

Pause.

B "You should hurry up. If he gets there before you he'll probably turn back."

D "Oh! Okay! Seeya Brooke!"

B "Buhbye Dustin!"

The two waved each other off, as Dustin dashed forward as fast as he could.

[Route 2 - Winterr Trail]

The second time through was uneventful, Dustin didn't engage in any battles along the route.

[Route 4 - Trial of Force]

Upon arriving, Dustin noticed someone familiar!

D "Hey Madeline!!!"

Mad "Oh. Hey Dustin..."

Silence

D "So... I just wait here now?"

Mad "Apparently. The gym leader is way too slow though. He should get a move on if he ever wants to meet me..."

D "Yeah! It'd be a shame if he missed you! He would love you!"

Mad "Uh... yeah..."

Pause.

Mad "Do you have any damaging moves that aren't normal type yet?"

D "Yep! Whip knows Icy Wind now!"

Mad "Oh... Never mind then..."

Someone dropped down from a cliff edge.

Jak "What's up!?!?!?"

Mad "AH!"

Madeline punched Jake.

D "MADELINE-"

Jak "Woah..."

Pause.

Jak "You have the strongest punch I've ever felt! Awesome!"

Mad "You... liked that?"

Jak "Yeah! It hurts a lot! That means you're super strong!"

Mad "What. The. Fuck."

Jak "Hey! Smiley! Do you want to punch me?"

D "Do you... want me to?"

Jak "YEP! GO!!!"

Dustin prepared to smash Jake's face in as hard as he could, but then he thought...

D 'What if I hurt him?'

Dustin threw a punch, but slowed his fist to the point that his "punch" was nothing more than a weird rub. Jake just stared at him.

Jak "You... You need this."

Jake handed Dustin a couple of discs.

Jak "These will help you. You just need to teach them to your Pokemon and-"

Dustin was already eating the discs.

[Dustin learned Strength!]

[Dustin learned Rock Smash!]

Dustin proceeded to smash a rock with one hand.

Jak "...I guess that works."

Mad "What the hell did I just watch?"

Jak "True power, fist girl. True power."

D "I feel like I can do anything!"

Dustin kicked a boulder to the side.

D "What now?"

Jak "Uh... I think you're supposed to get the rocks into the holes?"

Dustin picked up the rocks and dropped them into the holes.

Jak "I... never thought of picking them up..."

Mad "I don't even know what his deal is anymore..."

Pause.

Mad "HE ATE GLASS JACOB. FUCKING GLASS. AND IT GAVE HIM SUPER STRENGTH. THAT'S NOT NORMAL."

Jak "...Maybe it'll work for me?"

Mad "Don't."

Jak "Okay..."

Dustin had already made it to Multiathelor City.

Mad "I think he ran off."

Jak "Then I guess I'll follow him."

Mad "That sounds... creepy..."

Jak "Really?"

Mad "YES. ANYONE IS ABLE TO SEE THAT."

Jak "Uh... I'm not able to?"

Mad *sigh* "Idiots... All of you..."

Jak "Rude..."

[Multiathelor City]

D "Here we are! That was quick!"

Pause.

D "I guess I'm supposed to wait now."

??? "Hopefully you can SURVIVE the wait! Ohohoho~"

D "Uh... I think I can?"

??? "You think wrong!"

The man reached his hand to sky, like something out of a Shakespeare play...

??? "Braviarys may soar, but Sneasels don’t get sucked into jet engines..."

D "Uh... What?"

??? "What I'm trying to say is... You're flying too close the sun."

D "I'm... standing on the ground?"

??? "METAPHORICALLY, MY CHILD!!!"

D "Oh... Okay?"

Pause.

D "Who are you?"

The man tried to pose, but ended up looking like a fool.

??? "You may call me..."

Dramatic Pause.

WO "White Out."

D "Uh... Hi, White Out!"

WO "FOOL!!! YOU GREET YOUR DEMISE LIKE A LONG LOST FRIEND?!"

White Out turned the other way and posed dramatically, flaunting his bleached cape in the wind.

WO "I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL!!!"

{You are challenged by Quantum Head White Out!}

Quantum Head White Out sent out Romeo (Ralts) & Juliet (Ralts)!

WO "Hit them with your-"

D "Captain, Gideon, Tackle!"

Romeo fainted!

Juliet fainted!

White Out looked shocked.

WO "THE TRAGEDYYYYYYYYYY!!!"

{You defeated Quantum Head White Out!}

White Out dashed off as fast as he could manage. Dustin waved him off.

D "Goodbye!"

Jak "Hey dude! Did I miss anything?"

D "I just battled some guy. It ended in one turn!"

Mad "Must be a pretty fucking weak trainer then..."

Jak "Maybe I could train with them!"

Mad "PLEASE stop wasting time... I just want to battle you and be done with it..."

Jak "Aw, what? I haven't even shown you my training grounds yet!"

Mad "Your WHAT?!"

D "YOUR WHAT?!"

Jak "My training grounds! They're a great place to beef up your Pokemon! They can train in HP, Defense, and Attack in my dojo!"

Mad "Dojo?"

D "Woah... Dojo?"

Jak "Yeah! Come on!"

Jake immediately dragged the two teens behind him, running through a grove of trees and into an outdoor training facility!

D "Woah..."

Jak "I know, right?"

Mad "It looks like a glorified jungle gym..."

Jak "It used to be a jungle gym!"

Silence.

D "Woah..."

Mad "Seriously?"

D "He made a dojo out of a jungle gym!!! That's so cool!!!"

Mad "A JUNGLE GYM, Dustin... Those are for babies..."

D "He turned it into a dojo!!!"

Mad *sigh* "You're fucking impossible..."

Jak "First off, I have this spinning boxing glove thing that can help train your defense!"

D "Awesome!"

Mad "Woooooow... He figured out centripetal force... Amazing..."

D "Yeah!"

Jak "This second facility is a punching bag!"

D "Cool!"

Mad "You can buy those in stores..."

Jak "I made it myself!"

Mad "Why?"

Jak "It feels good to create stuff!"

D "It does!"

Jak "Dustin gets it!"

Madeline rolled her eyes.

Mad "Great minds think alike..."

Jak "Thanks!"

D "Yeah!"

Mad "Ughhhhhh..."

Jak "This one is a buffet!"

Mad "...What."

D "WOAH."

Jak "You can use it to train your HP! Feel free to eat as much as you want!"

Dustin was jumping in place with excitement.

Jak "Once you earn my badge, you can use these facilities as much as you'd like!"

D "LET'S GO!!!"

Dustin dashed back into the city as fast as he could.

Jak "Uh... Okay!"

Jake followed him.

Mad "...Why are they like this?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is so weird what


	7. A Crushing Defeat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dustin challenges Jake to a battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof writer's block is a b i t c h

This was it! Dustin just had to win this battle... and his reward would be a buffet! Dustin skipped all the gym trainers pretty easily (turns out Jake isn't the best at positioning his subordinates), so now it was time to battle against Jake!

D "Hey! Jakey!!! Can we fight now?!"

Jak "HELL YEAH DUDE!!! LET'S GOOOOO!!!"

{You are challenged by Gym Leader Jake!}

Jak "Let's cause some damage, Handball!!!"

Gym Leader Jake sent out Handball (Passimian)!

D "Gideon! Let's go!"

Jak "Rock Smash!"

It's super effective! Gideon's defense fell!

D "Uh... Gideon! Tail Whip!"

Handball's defense fell!

[Handball's Defiant]

Handball's attack rose sharply!

D "Uh oh."

Jak "Rock Smash!"

Gideon fainted!

D "Uh... Captain!"

Jak "Rock Smash!"

It's super effective! Captain fainted!

D "C-Cyclops?"

Jak "ROCK SMASH!!!"

It's super effective! Cyclops fainted!

D "Cher...ry?"

Jak "AGAIN!!!"

It's super effective! Cherry fainted!

D "WHIP!!! LET'S TURN THIS AROUND!!!"

Jak "FINISH THIS, HANDBALL!!! ROCK SMASH!!!"

It's super effective! A critical hit! Whip fainted!

Dustin was silent.

Jak "ALRIGHT!!! WOOHOO!!!"

{Dustin lost...}

D "I... failed..."

Maybe Jake would be sympathetic?

Jak "Yeah! Badly!"

Ouch.

D "...What now?"

Jak "Uh... Come back when you're stronger! Maybe you can beat me next time!"

D "Maybe?"

Jak "I'm not going to go easy on you just because you lost once! You'd better prepare for next time! I'll be waiting!"

D "Um... Yeah. See you."

Jak "Bye dude!!! See you later!!!"

Dustin speed-walked out of the gym.

D "Ugh! That was TERRIBLE! What's wrong with me?"

Dustin looked at his team. Rough. He should go to the Pokemon Center.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That... was bad. Dustin was having trouble staying positive after that. But... could you blame him? He didn't stand a chance... maybe training Pokemon wasn't for him... maybe he should just go home-

c "Vwoi..."

D *sigh* "Hey Cherry... Are you doing alright?"

Cherry looked at Dustin with concern, as if she knew he wasn't feeling too good.

??? "Hey... Are you okay?"

A girl with a distinct look of concern on her face spoke to Dustin.

D "Nope..."

Dustin looked at her.

D "I... don't know if I'm even worthy of being a Pokemon trainer anymore..."

??? "Do you... wanna talk about it?"

D "Would that help?"

??? "It might. Sometimes you just need someone to talk to."

D "Then... uh... sure?"

Dustin cleared his throat.

D "Well... earlier I challenged Jake..."

??? "And?"

The girl looked like she was expecting what came next.

D "...and lost. Bad. I wasn't able to beat his FIRST Pokemon... He just... wiped the floor with me... like it was nothing..."

??? *sigh* "He sent out Handball first, didn't he?"

D "Uh... yes?"

??? "Did he accidentally make you feel worse after you lost?"

D *sigh* "Yeah..."

The girl acted like she'd seen this before.

??? "Jake... means well. He just doesn't know his own strength."

Pause.

??? "He comes off as a bit of a jerk, but he doesn't mean to be!"

D "He doesn't?"

??? "Of course not! He just has trouble understanding other people's feelings..."

D "I haven't really caught on to that too well either so... I guess I can't be mad at him..."

The girl smirked, as if amused.

D "Wh-what? Did I say something weird?"

??? "It's just... funny. You're so much like him, but... not like him at all? I don't know how to explain it."

D *chuckle* "That is a little funny..."

Silence.

??? "You think you can beat him?"

D "I... might be able to. I think I should get up early and train tomorrow."

??? "Maybe you could practice reading emotions too?"

D "Yeah! That too!"

Pause.

D "Thanks for the help... uh..."

Chr "Christine."

D "Well I'm Dustin!"

Pause.

D "Hmm... Christine sounds familiar... no, wait... I'm thinking of Chrissy..."

Chr "Was this "Chrissy" mentioned by Brooke?"

D "Yeah! How did you know?"

Chr *chuckle* "She just calls me that. It's a nickname."

D "Uh... what's that?"

Christine looked confused.

Chr "You... don't know what a nickname is?"

D "No?"

Chr *breath* "I'll try to explain."

D "Okay!"

Chr "When you've known someone for a while, or they're super important to you, or they're your rival or... well, a lot of things warrant a nickname."

D "But what IS a nickname?"

Chr "A nickname is an informal, alternative name for someone, usually used either as a term of endearment, or as mockery. Most nicknames are derived from a person's actual name, and are usually shorter than the name they're based off. Brooke calls me "Chrissy" instead of "Christine" as a way of showing affection."

D "Ooooh! I get it now! Like how I call Jake "Jakey"!"

Chr "That's great!"

Pause.

Chr *gasp* "REHEARSAL!!! I NEED TO GO!!!"

D "Uh- Okay! Bye Chrissy!"

Chr "GOODBYE DUSTY!!!"

D "THANK YOU FOR THE ADVICE!!!"

She had left.

D "So... I guess I need to read emotions?"

Dustin looked down at Cherry?

D 'Alright, Dustin... what is Cherry thinking right now..?'

Cherry stuck her tongue out and rolled over.

D 'Belly rubs? Is that it?'

Dustin tested his hypothesis.

c *purr*

Her stomach rumbled.

D "Oh dang..."

Dustin went over to Nurse Joy

D "Can I get some food for Cherry?"

NJ "Of course! Anything in particular she likes?"

D "She's really not picky, but she can't stand spicy food."

Pause.

D "Do you know how to tell what she's feeling? I'm trying to learn how to handle the emotions of others better..."

NJ "You want to connect?"

The nurse handed Dustin a basket of berries.

NJ "These are Kelpsy Berries! They help to nurture the bond between trainer and Pokemon!"

D "A berry can do that?"

NJ "Yup! But don't forget to show your Pokemon lots of affection on your own as well!"

D "Got it!"

After watching Cherry eat her berries, (and attempting to try some, which personally didn't end up tasting very good to Dustin) Dustin and Cherry spent the rest of the day making faces at each other, and, surprisingly, Dustin was able to learn a lot about expressions. After the day was done, the two crashed on the guest bed.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Dustin woke up as early as he physically could.

D *yawn* "Good morning, Cherry!"

Dustin looked over to Cherry... and saw a vibrant pink Pokemon, with a bright blue jewel on her chest that matched her eyes.

D "Woah... you look awesome!"

Cherry evolved. That's a thing now, apparently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cherry's design- http://inprogresspokemon.tumblr.com/post/165193407341/empatheon-psychicfairy-on-rare-occasion


	8. A Crushing Comeback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dustin challenges Jake! (Again!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no month long hiatus?! WHAT IS THIS?!?!?!

Dustin and his team spent a few hours training that morning, which took a while, as they were only going after wild Pokemon. But once all was said and done, Dustin finally felt that they stood a chance against Jake.

D "I think we've done enough training for now! Let's go!"

Dustin made his way to the gym, (and actually battled the trainers inside this time, since he wanted some more experience) and he was ready to challenge Jake!

D "HEY!!!"

Dustin faced Jake with confidence.

D "GET READY FOR PAIN!!!"

Pause.

D "Actually wait... no pain. That's a little much."

Pause.

D "PREPARE TO BE MODERATELY EMBARRASSED!!!"

Jak "You sound like you're ready to go! I like that!"

Jake stopped leaning on the wall and stood to his full height.

Jak "Let's go, bro! I've been waiting for this rematch!"

{You are challenged by Gym Leader Jake!}

Jak "Come on, Handball!!! You know the drill!!!"

Gym Leader Jake sent out Handball (Passimian)!

D "Cherry! Let's show him our new skills! Disarming Voice!"

It's super effective!

Jak "Rock Smash!"

It's not very effective...

Dustin "Again! Disarming voice!"

It's super effective! Handball fainted!

Jake looked visibly nervous.

Jak "H-hah! Good job! Come on, Karate! Let's speed this up!"

Gym Leader Jake sent out Karate (Machop)!

D "Cherry, Confusion!"

It's super effective!

Jak "Uh... Strength!"

D "Hit 'em with another Confusion!"

It's super effective! Karate fainted!

Jak "Alright! No more fooling around! CARTWHEEL!!! AVENGE THEM!!!"

Gym Leader Jake sent out Cartwheel (Monferno)!

D "Confusion!"

It's super effective!

Jak "FLAME WHEEL!!!"

D "Confusion again!"

It's super effective! Cartwheel was confused!

Jak "DO IT AGAIN, CARTWHEEL!!! DON'T HURT YOURSELF!!!"

Cartwheel hurt himself in his confusion!

Jake was clearly freaked out.

D "Finish him off! CONFUSION!!!"

It's super effective! Cartwheel fainted!

{Dustin won!}

Jak "I... I lost?"

D "Yup!"

Dustin smirked.

D "Badly!"

Jake was flustered, but he tried to keep his cool, which didn't really work too well.

Jak "I uh- you win! Here's your batch- uh... badge!

Dustin obtained the Shattered Badge!

Jak "...and your uh... TM! That's what it's called!"

Dustin received the TM for Brick Break!

Jak "You can... go now."

Silence.

D "Are you... okay?"

Jak "Uh... yeah! Great!"

D "It's... kind of obvious that you're embarrassed."

Jake flinched and covered his face.

D "Jakey?"

Jake peeked above his hands.

Jak "Am I... weak?"

Dustin was bewildered.

D "Wh-what? No! You're amazing!"

Jak "But... I lost! I already lost this week! I shouldn't lose again!"

D "But... aren't you SUPPOSED to lose sometimes? Don't you think there should be people who go on to challenge the Pokemon League?"

Jak "I-"

Jake stopped himself. He was laughing... and crying?

D "Jake?!"

Jak *chuckle* "I'm such a fucking idiot... I can't even do my own job right!"

D "Jake..."

Jak *laugh* "You're so nice that you refuse to call me out! That's why you won't say it, right?"

D "Jake, I won't say it. Not because I'm too nice, but because I'm being honest. You're great at your job! You pushed us to train harder! It's perfectly fine that you put up a tough fight! It might not hurt to be a little more forgiving, but you're surely supposed to CHALLENGE the challengers!"

Jak "Do you... mean all of that?"

D "If I didn't mean it, I wouldn't have said it... so yeah! I do mean it!"

Jake wiped his eyes and stood up, smiling.

Jak "You're a good dude, bro."

D "I wouldn't really accomplish much by being rude!"

Jak *chuckle* "I guess you're right!"

Pause.

Jak "Are you ready for the feast!"

Dustin's eyes widened.

D "YESSSSSSS!!!"


	9. Let's Try This Again...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dustin has a long overdue battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY!!! WE'RE BACK IN BUSINESS!!!

D "Ugh... I don't want to even THINK about food for the next..."

Pause.

D "Year..."

Jak "You're like a vacuum!"

D "Uh... Thanks?"

Jak "You're welcome!"

The two sat in silence for a few minutes.

Jak "Shouldn't you be headed to Rimprose City now?"

D "Oh! Yeah, I should!"

Dustin stood up, and started running.

D "See you around Jakey!!!"

Jak "Same dude!!!"

[Multiathelor City]

Dustin made a beeline through Multiathelor...

[Route 4 - Trial of Force]

...and dashed through Route 4...

[Route 2 - Winterr Trail]

...and made quick work of-

Mad "Hey!"

Never mind.

D "Madeline!!! What's up!!!"

Mad "Nothing much, I've just been waiting for you."

D "Why would you be- OH! CHERRY EVOLVED!!! WE CAN BATTLE!!!"

Mad "Bingo."

{You are challenged by Pokemon Trainer Madeline!}

Pokemon Trainer Madeline sent out Statica (Pikachu)!

D "Alright then! Come on, Cyclops! Bite!"

Mad "Not so fast! Thunder Wave!"

Cyclops was paralyzed! Bite still managed to land, however.

Mad "Thunderbolt!"

D "Bite!"

Mad "Thunderbolt!"

D "Bite!"

Mad "Thunderbolt!"

D "Bite!"

Cyclops was fully paralyzed!

D "What?!"

Mad "You've never had a Pokemon paralyzed before?"

D "Uh... no?"

Mad *sigh* "Well all you need to know is that paralyzed Pokemon are slower, and sometimes can't move."

D "That sucks..."

Mad "Yeah, it does. It's great if you can paralyze your opponent though!"

D "Huh... I'll try that out sometime!"

Mad "Good luck with that..."

Pause.

Mad "Thunderbolt!"

Cyclops fainted!

D "Dangit! Let's do this, Gideon!"

Mad "Thunderbolt!"

D "Double Kick!"

Statica fainted!

Mad 'No Static? Talk about beginners luck...' "Alright, come on Bud!"

Pokemon Trainer Madeline sent out Bud (Cherubi)!

D "Double Kick!"

Mad "Leech Seed!"

Gideon was seeded!

Gideon's health was sapped by Leech Seed!

D "What was that?"

Madeline rolls her eyes.

Mad "Leech Seed steals health from the Pokemon that it's used on and gives it to their opponent. There, satisfied?"

D "That sucks-"

Mad "PLEASE JUST BATTLE ALREADY."

D "O-okay! Double Kick!"

Mad "Seed Bomb!"

Gideon's health was sapped by Leech Seed!

D "Double Kick!"

Mad "Seed Bomb!"

Gideon's health was sapped by Leech Seed! Gideon fainted!

D "Okay... Whip! Let's do this! Icy Wind!"

It's super effective! Bud fainted!

Mad 'HOW DID HE GET A SHINY?!?!?!' "Kick his ass, Ember!"

Pokemon Trainer Madeline sent out Ember (Litwick)!

D "Icy Wind!"

It's not very effective...

Mad "Will-O-Wisp!"

Whip was burned!

D "What does that-"

Mad "IT LOWERS YOUR ATTACK AND DAMAGES YOU EVERY TURN."

D "Th-"

Mad "DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT IT SUCKS!"

Dustin lets out a nervous whimper.

D "Icy Wind!"

It's not very effective...

Mad "Flame Burst!"

It's super effective!

D "Icy Wind!"

It's not very effective...

Mad "Flame Burst!"

It's super effective! Whip fainted!

D "CAPTAIN! TIME FOR BATTLE! BITE!"

It's super effective! Ember flinched and couldn't move!

D 'Again? I guess bite just does that... probably shouldn't ask. I don't want to make her mad-'

Dustin started laughing.

Mad "Are you... MOCKING ME?"

D *giggle* "No! No! I- I just thought of something funny.:

Mad "Oh. Quit messing around."

D "Alright... Bite!"

It's super effective! Ember fainted!

Mad "AXEL!!! LET'S END THIS!!!"

Pokemon Trainer Madeline sent out Axel (Quagsire)!

D "Bite!"

Mad "Mud Bomb!"

Captain's accuracy fell!

D "Bite!"

Axel avoided the attack!

Mad "Ha! Recover!"

Axel recovered HP?!

D "Oh dang... Swift!"

Mad "Slam!"

A critical hit

D "No! Come on, Bite!"

Mad "Use slam one more time!"

Captain fainted!

D "Alright... Cherry! You're my last hope! I trust you to think of something!"

Cherry started... crying?

D "Aww... Cherry I'm sorry... I'll uh... decide, I guess?"

Upon closer inspection... wait, is she faking it?

Axel's special defense harshly fell!

Mad "Slam!"

At the last moment, Cherry avoided the attack!

D "Woah! That was awesome!"

Cherry did it again! Axel's special defense harshly fell!

Mad 'Since Slam won't work...' "Mud Bomb!"

Cherry used Fake Tears once again! Axel's special defense harshly fell!

Mad "YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOREVER! FINISH HER WITH SLAM!!!"

A critical hit! ...but it didn't really do very much.

D "Come on, use Disarming Voice!"

Cherry used Disarming Voice! Axel fainted!

{Dustin won!}

Mad "Holy shit..."

Silence.

D "I uh... guess that's it?"

Mad "Uh... yeah."

Madeline hands Dustin a disk.

Mad "You're gonna need this if you plan on getting to Rimprose."

D "But how are you going to get there?"

Mad "Secret passage."

D "Can I go?"

Mad "No fucking way."

D "Aww..."

Madeline bolts for the forest, seemingly offended by that question.

D "I uh... guess I should follow her?"

Dustin looks at the disk in his hands before eating it.

[Dustin learned Cut!]

Dustin feels the sudden urge to attack a tree. He cuts a small one in half with a karate chop. Dustin feels guilty now.


	10. Wild 'Krow Chase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What should've been a simple walk through the forest ends up turning into something out of a nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ay!!! two days in a row!!!

[Route 5 - Thespar Slope]

D "Wow... so THIS is what flowers smell like? I can't believe I've been missing out out on this!

Dustin had his team following him closely, so that they could enjoy the forest scenery. He couldn't just keep them in their Pokeballs the whole time, none of them (Dustin included) had ever seen this much plant life in one place!

D "So... we just have to cut our way through the forest to reach Rimprose? Seems easy enough!"

Dustin chopped down several small trees with no issues. This trek seemed like it was going smoothly!

??? "Help! Help!"

Dustin jumped at the scratchy sounding voice! Was someone in trouble?

??? "Over here! Help!"

D "I'm coming! Hold on!"

??? "Hurry! Help!"

Dustin rushed towards the sound of the voice, but couldn't find-

??? "Down here! Help!"

Dustin saw a bush when he redirected his attention- They must be in there!

D "There you are! Don't worry, I'm here to-"

An avian Pokemon- about a foot and a half tall- popped out from the bush!

??? "HAHA! HAHA! YOU FELL FOR IT!"

The bird Pokemon flew off, cackling.

D "Did I... just get tricked by a bird?"

Dustin, having just been tricked by a bird, was embarrassed.

D "I guess I should get back on the trail-"

Dustin paused and looked around.

D "Where... am I?"

Dustin was panicking.

D "Cherry? Captain? ANYONE?!"

Two pairs of glowing blue eyes pierced the darkness of the forest! Dustin fell on his bottom, paralyzed with fear- he was being stared down by-

w "Shyah!"

ch "Empah!"

Whip and Cherry!

D "Guys! You're okay!"

The two eagerly ran over to Dustin, who pet them happily.

D "Where are the others?"

The two look saddened. Dustin was as well.

D "They got lost?"

Cherry stepped forward, nudging her chest jewel into Dustin's hand. Suddenly, Dustin was overcome by a vision! A recent memory from Cherry's point of view played in Dustin's head! Whip, Cyclops, Gideon, and Captain all suddenly collapsed, having been but to sleep by something. Cherry looked around frantically, before trying to nudge Whip awake. A trio of Murkrows dived in towards the three Eevee, swooping in to grab them and carry them off. Cherry tried to fight them off, but a Roserade jumped out and used Poison Jab on her, knocking her off balance. Whip was able to wake up and protect herself before the Roserade could grab her, but the other three were nowhere to be seen. Dustin suddenly snapped back to reality.

D "They were kidnapped?!"

Dustin immediately stood up, wasting no time searching for the missing Eevees!

D "They have to be in the forest somewhere! We just need to figure out where!"

Whip perked her ears up at the sound of distant cries.

ca "VUOYYYYYYYYY!!!"

w "SHYAHHHHHHHH!!!"

Whip ran in the direction of the calls.

D "Whip?"

Dustin and Cherry followed her, which led them to a clearing. In the clearing there was a quartet of bird Pokemon plucking fur from a trio of Eevees who were tied up with vines!

D "Hey! Leave them alone!"

Dustin, Whip, and Cherry chased off the birds, before going to untie the Eevees.

D "We're here! It's all going to be okay!"

Whip falls asleep once again, prompting Cherry to hastily cover everyone else with safeguard.

D "What's going on?"

Dustin sees something leap at him out of the corner of his eye! It's a Roserade! Captain breaks free from the vines, and leaps between Dustin and the Roserade!

Captain was poisoned!

D "CAPTAIN!!!"

Roserade attempts to attack again, but is stopped by Cherry's Confusion, which causes it to retreat!

ca "Eeeehh..."

Dustin goes over to Captain.

D "We need to get you to a Pokemon Center..."

Dustin is frantically trying to figure out where the exit is...

D "H-Hang in there!"

From nowhere, a Murkrow swoops in and grabs Cyclops!

D "NO!"

Dustin turns to the others.

D "Stick together! I'm going after Cyclops!"

Cherry nods.

D "Good luck guys! Stay alert!"

Dustin runs after the Murkrow, chasing it all the way to a large tree. In the tree, there's a large knot- a nest of some kind?

D "HEY!!! GIVE HIM BACK!!!"

Since shouting didn't work, Dustin started climbing the tree in an attempt to reach the nest. He managed to peek inside, where he saw seven Pokemon- firstly, there was Cyclops- that was why Dustin was here. There was also a trio of Murkrows staring him down, presumably about to make him fall to his death. At the back, a Roserade (presumably the one that attacked Cherry and Captain) was hugging a sickly Honchkrow, who was missing a bunch of feathers. Peculiarly, there appeared to be various types of fur and feathers from other Pokemon stuck to Honchkrow in a very deliberate manner... in between Roserade and Honchkrow-

D "Hey! You're that weird bird that tricked me earlier!"

All the Pokemon in the nest were now staring at Dustin.

D "Uh... Hi?"

The smaller birds immediately swarmed Dustin, knocking him down. Dustin quickly grabbed onto a large branch before he started falling too fast. He made his way to the trunk and climbed down from there.

D "I'M STILL ALIVE!!! QUIT MESSING AROUND!!!"

Things were silent for a minute, until Dustin could make out the sound of bird calls being exchanged from inside the nest. After the calling subsided, the odd kind-of-Murkrow-but-not-quite flew down and perched on a branch just out of Dustin's reach. Dustin has had enough.

D "WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH US?!?!?! ALL WE WANTED WAS TO GET THROUGH THE FOREST, AND YOU HAD TO MAKE IT DIFFICULT?!?!?!

Dustin threw a stick at the bird, but it missed.

D "I DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!"

Dustin started crying.

D "I- I JUST WANT MY FRIEND BACK!!! PLEASE!!!"

The odd bird was now very obviously uncomfortable.

??? "Sorry... Can't do that..."

D *sniffle* "Why not..?"

??? "Mama is losing feathers... Mama thinks mama's not beautiful... Need to collect new feathers for mama, so mama doesn't feel bad!"

Dustin suddenly realized what they wanted Cyclops for.

D "I... might be able to help."

Dustin pointed to his hair.

??? "Pretty fur! Can mama have it?"

D "Yes!"

The bird looked ecstatic!

D "But- you have to promise to stop stealing! Ask around, and I'm sure some people and Pokemon would be willing to share!"

The bird thought for a moment...

??? "Okay! Will ask before taking now! Will let others know!"

The bird flew up to the nest. Dustin heard them communicating, and soon... they were descending with Cyclops!

D "CYCLOPS!!!"

Cyclops was lowered to the ground, and the birds took several clumps of Dustin's hair. Ouch. Afterwards, the birds flew back to the nest, though the weird one stuck around for a second.

??? "Mama will like pretty fur! Thank you!"

D "You're welcome!"

Dustin had something to ask, though...

D "What ARE you? You look like a Murkrow, but at the same time, you look nothing like the others?"

??? "Mama Honchkrow, papa Chatot!"

D 'A hybrid?' "Oh! Okay! I was just wondering!"

Chat-Krow "No problem! See you!"

D "Goodbye!"

With that out of the way, Dustin turned to Cyclops, who had covered his missing patches of fur with fungi.

D "Is that... safe?"

Suddenly, Cyclops started glowing!

D "Woah! YOU'RE EVOLVING!!!"

After the glow stopped, the fungus appeared to have been integrated into Cyclops' biology! Dustin went over to Cyclops and gave him a hug. 

D "I'm so proud of you!"

The celebration was cut short by a realization-

D "CAPTAIN! HE'S PROBABLY STILL POISONED!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cyclops' design- https://inprogresspokemon.tumblr.com/post/158033499588/sporeon-darkgrass-on-rare-occasion-an
> 
> Mur-Chat's design (it's the witch one)- https://www.deviantart.com/umberoff/art/Chatot-Variations-548457611


End file.
